Why does everyone fly at 2500ft?

[Capt. Manuvar]

I don't know if I'm just imagining it, but i seem to have noticed that most SEP pilots fly at around 2500'. i know that in the south there are airspace limitations but elsewhere where there are no airspace or weather restrictions most SEPs fly at 2000-2500'.
Most of my traffic conflicts occur around this altitude. On my QXC i decided to fly at btw 3500 and 5500' , i noticed that i had fewer traffic advisories/alerts on LARS and i didn't have to ask for MATZ penetrations. so now i fly above the transition layer when i can.
I can not think of reason why people prefer these low levels. I only know of the advantages of flying higher:
1. most lycomings and continentals are best operated at about 6-8000' (can't remember where i read that)
2. Less chance of conflicting with HM finest as well as GA traffic
3. buys you extra time in the event of a forced landing.
So could someone please elaborated on why most people prefer to stick to the lower levels. It really does feel lonely up there:(
Capt. Manuvar

[FlyingForFun]

Cloud? Airspace? Only just left airfield of departure and not had time to climb yet? Shortly to arrive at destination, so descended to overhead join altitude? Makes the plog easier, since there's no need to take into account the different speed in climb/descent if not much time is spent climbing/descending? Only a short flight, better to cruise at low level at 100kt than climb at 75kt? Training flight, instructor doesn't want to waste student's money climbing to 5000' when the exercise can be carried out safely at 2500'?

And, following on from the last one, possibly: all my training was done at 2500', so I find it much easier to recognise features on the ground at this altutide - when I climb higher, things look different to what I'm used to?

I'm not claiming that all of these are necessarily good reasons - just that they're possible reasons. And I'm sure I've missed a few off, too!

FFF
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[Evo]

Down south I think it's mostly airspace - get the student flying at 2000 ft and he'll never wander into the London TMA (well, apart from those bits that go down to the surface!). I guess it's habit forming. Under the TMA I usually plog 2200ft to avoid all the people at 2000ft. When there's more sky to play with I usually fly quadrantal levels around 4000ft.

[robin]

Is 2500' high?? It's too high for me.

You get a much better view from lower down, and where we fly with oodles of low cloud, we keep in sight of the ground

Try it sometime.

[IO540]

I reckon it's training - myself and everybody else was always flying 2000-3000ft during the PPL.

The best-range altitude for an average Lyco is probably 8000ft... difficult to do in the UK. Also one gets pretty tired pretty quickly up there without oxygen, especially in the dark.

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

I plog 2250ft to avoid Evo at 2200ft, while he's avoiding everyone else at 2000ft (if only I could fly accurately enough to maintain it)!

I am another Southerner, limited by airspace, but elsewhere I still fly mostly below 3000ft because I like looking at the scenery.

TG

[FNG]

As already observed, probably a habit picked up during training. On a day of high clouds, if flying XC around London I try to fly just high enough to avoid hitting Tall Guy whilst he is trying to avoid hitting Evo. Out over lovely unrestricted East Anglia I lob up to 5 or 6000, partly to allow time if the donkey quits (although see the forced landing thread for alternatives to this) and partly so that the H bit of a HASELL check is already done in case I feel the urge to aerobat en route.

What really baffles me is why so many people doing the cross channel run crawl over the water at 2000 ish feet even on cloudless days.

[Evo]

Hmm... maybe my plan isn't working. There seem to be more people not at 2000ft than are at 2000ft. Why is the London TMA down at 2500ft anyway? Couldn't they shift it up a little bit.

[360BakTrak]

Depending on the weather conditions on the day I try and fly as high as possible, depending on the wind of course.
As Capt Manuvar said, you are far less likely to end up in the school of aviation welding and you generally get a better view IMHO.
As an ATCO working outside CAS it is amazing sometimes on a clear day how many people are flogging around at 2500'!:confused:

[FNG]

Evo, Classic bluff double bluff counter bluff conundrum, ain't it?

Aviation equivalent of no smoking office with entire work force including MD standing outside in the rain having a fag?

[shortstripper]

I get a nosebleed if I go that high! :E

SS

[UV]

99% of people flying between 2000 and 2500 ft is a fantastic idea.
It should be made mandatory!!!
UV

[J.A.F.O.]

Especially if you're in the 1%

[DRJAD]

I must admit I try to get as high as practicable - precisely for the reasons heretofore advanced: no MATZ penetration needed, fewer conflicts, better radar coverage, better DME, etc., reception, and so on.

Where its not possible, then one is happy to route at lower levels. The thing is, whether to plan a flight entirely under VFR in sight of the surface, or whether to plan segments on top.

[witchdoctor]

2500 feet!!! You're joking aren't you?:eek:

If I have to fly up there the boss will need to buy a new camera and I'm sure it will come out of my wages.:D

[LowNSlow]

I get nosebleeds and vertigo above 1,500' :p :p

[Dewdrop]

So we can wave at each other as we pass within 50ft.

[Hersham Boy]

I have only ever flown at 5000ft+ once in my flying time to-date... the airspace around the SEast is daft - to get above transition alt. you've got to head for the coast - and the visibility is usually so poor that 501ft is about all you can get away with...

Resolution: to get above transition and above 5k ft next time I fly...

[englishal]

I always fligh as high as possibly, where practical. My record to date has been FL210 over Norwich :D

For me the limiting factor is airspace in the UK. In the US, its not uncommon to fly at 10000-12500' in a SEP, though this is normally due to terrain. 8000' in a SEP is a comfortable altitude.

Advantages include not hitting everyone below 2000', Evo at 2200, Tall_guy_in_a_152 at 2250, gliders, and its easy to avoid certain airspaces, like MATZ or ATZ's. Shame Class D doesn't stop at 5000' and overlaying Class A doesn't start till 10,000', then we'd have loads of room to play around in :D

Cheers
EA

[BEagle]

Personally I like 1500ft on the RPS unless there are terrain, aerodrome or Controlled Airspace reasons to fly at another height.

Because I rather like looking at Merrie Old England rather than playing airliners! Did enough high flying in my old day job, thanks very much.

Best range of altitudes was in the old V-bumbler. Climb to 41000 ft or therabouts, then let down to 300ft at low level (and probably rather less over the oggin.....we had a good radio altimeter)

[javelin]

2100' is a good height, you don't have to call for any MATZ or ATZ stuff 'cos you're outside 2 & 2, you're above the Womans Auxiliary Balloon Corps and generally above the turblience :E

[A and C]

Most of this 2500ft thing is down to training , its a no brainer for the instructor to tell the student not to go above 2400ft in the London area and the chances are the student will not get into CAS.

Going high with a student opens up a whole new bunch of other things that the instructor might have to tell the sutdent about .... like transition level/altitude , the fact that navigation is so much easyer , better radar cover , better radio range for nav aids , less trafic and god forbid !!!!!! the student may have to learn to use the mixtue control ?!!!!!!, ( for most of you that is the red on/off lever ).

It's sad to say that most of this is down to poor training and lazy instructors who just fly the same 2500 ft training X-C flights whatever the weather and wont go high to get a tailwind for instance.

[FlyingForFun]

2100' is a good height, you don't have to call for any MATZ or ATZ stuff 'cos you're outside 2 & 2True... unless the elevation of the airfield is over 100'. I know much of Britain isn't exactly mountainous, but there are still plenty of ATZs that extend above 2100' altitude. And the last time I looked, a MATZ extends a little higher than that in any case.....

FFF
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